Stop the unnecessary cutting of thousands of trees in Coorg District of Karnataka, for a power line to a neighbouring state.

Lakhs of people in Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu depend on the river water created by Kodagu’s forests. But under the
influence of timber merchants from a neighboring state, who stand to benefit
monetarily, the political leaders in Kodagu (Coorg) and Bangalore, have given
permission for the cutting of thousands of trees in
Kodagu’s forests.

The trees are being cut in a 52 metre (170
feet) wide passage for a length of 55 km through Kodagu's
forests and
estates to make room for high-tension wires which can easily be taken through
another route which is ecologically, less damaging. The cables can even be
taken underground like was done in Gujarat.
This was done in 2011, due to the death of hundreds of migratory birds
that came in contact with the High Tension Cables. The same Power Grid
Corporation of India has also floated tenders for taking the entire High
Tension Transmission Lines Underground in Navi Mumbai.

The River Cauvery is born in Kodagu's
forests, forests are the mothers of rivers and we - the people of Kodagu, Mandya,
Mysore, Bangalore and all the villages and towns of Tamil Nadu through which
theRiver Cauvery passes, from Dharmapuri and Erode to Thanjavur and Poompuhar– request that you support this petition of theSave Cauvery Forum.

It is time that powerful businessmen
and political leaders understood that these forests belong to the people. The
rains and rivers they generate support the livelihood of lakhs of people in
both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Help us to stop the currently ongoing cutting
of thousands of irreplaceable trees. "The health of the hills is the wealth of
the plains."

ONCE YOU SIGN THE PETITION, PLEASE E-MAIL THE CHIEF MINISTER OF KARNATAKA AND MARK COPIES TO THE FOUR OTHER INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED. TOGETHER THEY HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THIS ECOLOGICAL DISASTER IN THE MAKING.

Chief
Minister of Karnataka at chiefminister@karnataka.gov.in

Karnataka
State Minister for Ecology & Environment at min-ecology@karnataka.gov.in

Kodagu
District In-Charge Minister (who is also the Karnataka State Home Minister)at min-home@karnataka.gov.in

President of India at secy.president@rb.nic.in

Union Minister for Environment & Forests
at vmoily@kar.nic.in

When you email the
ministers feel free to use the content given below, in your email.

Dear Sir,

We the people of Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore,
Bangalore and all the villages and towns of Tamil Nadu through which theRiver Cauvery passes - from Dharmapuri and Erode to Thanjavur and
Poompuhar– request that you stop the cutting of thousands of trees in Kodagu.

Kodagu’s forests belong to the people,
and not to the timber merchants of Kerala, who are now dictating terms in the
way our State uses its forest resources. Our forests give birth to the River
Cauvery, and it has since time immemorial supported agriculture and many ways
of life in all the above named regions.

We have reason to believe the
high-tension wires can easily be taken through another route which is
ecologically, less damaging. The wires can even be taken underground like was
done in Gujarat.

We are asking you, the Chief Minister
of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Minister for Ecology & Environment, the
Kodagu District In-Charge Minister (who is also the Karnataka State Home
Minister), the Union Minister for Environment
& Forests and the President of India - to put a stop to this
ecological disaster in the making.

Stop the ongoing killing of thousands of irreplaceable trees in
Kodagu. "The health of the hills is the wealth of the plains."